Related Links

[ NOWHERE TO GO ]

Some Residents Could Be Homeless When Mulberry Closes Lakeside Mobile Manor Park

Lakeside Mobile Manor resident Billy Martin and his wife Kyrie Satterfield, holding Devyn Satterfield, 10 weeks, in the living room of their mobile home, aren't sure where they are going to live when Mulberry shuts down the mobile home park this month.

Published: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 12:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 11, 2013 at 12:37 a.m.

MULBERRY | With just three weeks left to get out of their house, Billy Martin and Kyrie Satterfield have no clue where they're going to go with their newborn son.

Neither does Sherry Frederico, who bought her mobile home in Mulberry's Lakeside Mobile Manor three years ago.

"I'm running out of time," she said. "I know that, and I don't know what I'm going to do."

Armed with a court order, the city plans to shut down the leaking sewer system in Lakeside Mobile Manor at the end of the month. Most of the park's mobile homes have been abandoned, and many of those left behind show signs of being ransacked, with the front doors gone and interiors gutted.

But for Martin and Satterfield, and the handful like them, the future remains uncertain.

"For the longest time, we didn't know what was going on," said Martin, 48. "The owners were telling us not to worry, that the city wasn't going to shut the park down."

Their son, Devyn, was born Dec. 22, about three weeks before the city won its case against the park's owners to shut it down.

"We started looking about a month ago, but the places we have the money for look like the projects," Martin said, "and I'm not moving there."

Martin, who works in shipping at Plastipak in Mulberry, said he's starting to get worried.

"I think we will find a place," he said. "I don't think it's meant to be that we will be on the street. Sometimes, it hits me more than others, that we need to get this done."

Frederico, 42, said she's growing more concerned by the day.

"I bought this trailer and had been renting the lot," she said. "I've put more than $15,000 into renovating this trailer, with new appliances and floors, and I can't just leave it behind. Everything I had has gone into this trailer, and I want to take it somewhere if I can."

For months, she'd been told her mobile home was too old to move, she said. But last week, she learned she might be able to move it, and she's hoping that will work out.

"I know I have to get this done quickly," said Frederico, who said she's on disability, "and yes, I'm worried about that."

Next door, James Shehane said he hates to leave the place he's called home for 24 years, but he knows that's inevitable.

"I'm just riding it out," he said. "I do hate what went on with this park. The wrong people came along and bit off more than they could chew. I've never seen this place look this bad. It's disgusting.

"I'm going to stay as long as I can, then I'm going to take a vacation and go out and buy some land," said Shehane, 56, who spent 25 years working as a welder. "I'm the last of the holdouts."

In January, Circuit Judge Steven Selph granted the city's request to shut down the park's aging sewer system. That decision effectively closed the park, located at 1014 N. Church Ave., since state law prevents it from staying open without a sewer system.

The underground pipes were installed more than 40 years ago when the 65-lot park was built, and city officials said little had been done to maintain them in recent years. The pipes ultimately connect with Mulberry's sewer lines and waste from the park is treated at the city's wastewater treatment plant.

About three years ago, a breach in the park's sewer lines left several yards adjoining the park flooded with raw sewage. The city brought the park's owner, Hutton House LLC, before the code enforcement board, demanding that something be done. Although the owners faced mounting fines, city officials said few repairs were made. Those fines now exceed $300,000, according to city records.

Representatives for Hutton House, a family-owned business based in South Florida that bought the park in 2005, have declined comment on this issue.

A year ago, when the city discovered more leaks in the system, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Polk County Health Department joined Mulberry in demanding that Hutton House repair the system.

Officials with those government agencies shot smoke through the underground system in March 2012 to identify the extent of the problem, and smoke blanketed the ground throughout the park. At that point, the city halted water and sewer service to any mobile homes that weren't occupied, and initiated legal steps to shut down the sewer system.

The judge's ruling declared the park a health hazard, which means the city isn't required to pay the residents for their mobile homes. Had the property been condemned so the city could build a road or a building, Hutton House and the owners of the individual mobile homes would have been compensated for the property they were losing.

For now, Hutton House still owns the property.

About 20 residents lived in the park in late January when Selph issued his order. He gave the remaining residents until March 31 to move out.

Bonnie Titus, the city's code enforcement officer, has been helping residents find places to live. The Mulberry Community Service Center has assisted several residents as well by paying their first months' rents and related expenses, said Melanie Anderson, the center's executive director.

Among those who've relocated is Eddie Cardin, 54, a park resident for 24 years, who found a new home just up the road in Angler's Green retirement park.

City Attorney Frank Comparetto said the city may consider working with residents who are trying to relocate, but aren't able to meet the March 31 deadline.

"We're not going to leave anybody out in the street, I can tell you that," he said.

[ Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. ]

<p>MULBERRY | With just three weeks left to get out of their house, Billy Martin and Kyrie Satterfield have no clue where they're going to go with their newborn son.</p><p>Neither does Sherry Frederico, who bought her mobile home in Mulberry's Lakeside Mobile Manor three years ago. </p><p>"I'm running out of time," she said. "I know that, and I don't know what I'm going to do."</p><p>Armed with a court order, the city plans to shut down the leaking sewer system in Lakeside Mobile Manor at the end of the month. Most of the park's mobile homes have been abandoned, and many of those left behind show signs of being ransacked, with the front doors gone and interiors gutted.</p><p>But for Martin and Satterfield, and the handful like them, the future remains uncertain. </p><p>"For the longest time, we didn't know what was going on," said Martin, 48. "The owners were telling us not to worry, that the city wasn't going to shut the park down."</p><p>Their son, Devyn, was born Dec. 22, about three weeks before the city won its case against the park's owners to shut it down.</p><p>"We started looking about a month ago, but the places we have the money for look like the projects," Martin said, "and I'm not moving there."</p><p>Martin, who works in shipping at Plastipak in Mulberry, said he's starting to get worried. </p><p>"I think we will find a place," he said. "I don't think it's meant to be that we will be on the street. Sometimes, it hits me more than others, that we need to get this done." </p><p>Frederico, 42, said she's growing more concerned by the day. </p><p>"I bought this trailer and had been renting the lot," she said. "I've put more than $15,000 into renovating this trailer, with new appliances and floors, and I can't just leave it behind. Everything I had has gone into this trailer, and I want to take it somewhere if I can."</p><p>For months, she'd been told her mobile home was too old to move, she said. But last week, she learned she might be able to move it, and she's hoping that will work out.</p><p>"I know I have to get this done quickly," said Frederico, who said she's on disability, "and yes, I'm worried about that."</p><p>Next door, James Shehane said he hates to leave the place he's called home for 24 years, but he knows that's inevitable.</p><p>"I'm just riding it out," he said. "I do hate what went on with this park. The wrong people came along and bit off more than they could chew. I've never seen this place look this bad. It's disgusting. </p><p>"I'm going to stay as long as I can, then I'm going to take a vacation and go out and buy some land," said Shehane, 56, who spent 25 years working as a welder. "I'm the last of the holdouts."</p><p>In January, Circuit Judge Steven Selph granted the city's request to shut down the park's aging sewer system. That decision effectively closed the park, located at 1014 N. Church Ave., since state law prevents it from staying open without a sewer system.</p><p>The underground pipes were installed more than 40 years ago when the 65-lot park was built, and city officials said little had been done to maintain them in recent years. The pipes ultimately connect with Mulberry's sewer lines and waste from the park is treated at the city's wastewater treatment plant. </p><p>About three years ago, a breach in the park's sewer lines left several yards adjoining the park flooded with raw sewage. The city brought the park's owner, Hutton House LLC, before the code enforcement board, demanding that something be done. Although the owners faced mounting fines, city officials said few repairs were made. Those fines now exceed $300,000, according to city records.</p><p>Representatives for Hutton House, a family-owned business based in South Florida that bought the park in 2005, have declined comment on this issue. </p><p>A year ago, when the city discovered more leaks in the system, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Polk County Health Department joined Mulberry in demanding that Hutton House repair the system.</p><p>Officials with those government agencies shot smoke through the underground system in March 2012 to identify the extent of the problem, and smoke blanketed the ground throughout the park. At that point, the city halted water and sewer service to any mobile homes that weren't occupied, and initiated legal steps to shut down the sewer system.</p><p>The judge's ruling declared the park a health hazard, which means the city isn't required to pay the residents for their mobile homes. Had the property been condemned so the city could build a road or a building, Hutton House and the owners of the individual mobile homes would have been compensated for the property they were losing.</p><p>For now, Hutton House still owns the property.</p><p>About 20 residents lived in the park in late January when Selph issued his order. He gave the remaining residents until March 31 to move out. </p><p>Bonnie Titus, the city's code enforcement officer, has been helping residents find places to live. The Mulberry Community Service Center has assisted several residents as well by paying their first months' rents and related expenses, said Melanie Anderson, the center's executive director.</p><p>Among those who've relocated is Eddie Cardin, 54, a park resident for 24 years, who found a new home just up the road in Angler's Green retirement park. </p><p>City Attorney Frank Comparetto said the city may consider working with residents who are trying to relocate, but aren't able to meet the March 31 deadline.</p><p>"We're not going to leave anybody out in the street, I can tell you that," he said. </p><p>[ Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. ]</p><p><empty></empty></p>